Why is water not used as a solvent when lithium is involved?

Water is not used as a solvent when lithium is involved primarily because of the chemical reactivity between lithium and water. Lithium is an alkali metal, and it reacts vigorously with water to produce lithium hydroxide (LiOH) and hydrogen gas (H₂). This reaction can be quite exothermic, releasing heat and may even lead to hydrogen gas igniting due to the heat of the reaction. Therefore, using water as a solvent poses significant safety risks as well as challenges in controlling the reaction.

The reactivity of lithium with water makes it impractical for applications that require lithium as a solute in a solvent system. This is why alternative solvents which do not react with lithium are preferred in electrochemical applications where lithium is involved, such as in lithium-ion batteries or other electrochemical systems.